Justice for Mercer County Athletic Booster Club

The honorable Judge Theodore Kutsunis agreed to the plea agreement terms reached prior to proceedings in the sentencing hearing for Chastity M. Jackson.

Comment

By Cala Smoldt/Staff Reporter

Aledo Times Record - Aledo, IL

By Cala Smoldt/Staff Reporter

Posted Aug. 13, 2014 at 12:09 PM

By Cala Smoldt/Staff Reporter
Posted Aug. 13, 2014 at 12:09 PM

The honorable Judge Theodore Kutsunis agreed to the plea agreement terms reached prior to proceedings in the sentencing hearing for Chastity M. Jackson. Jackson appeared in court with attorney William Detrick Monday afternoon Aug. 11. She pleaded guilty to count 2, class 3 felony theft in that she knowingly obtained unauthorized control of between $500-$10,000 of Mercer County Athletic Booster Club funds between July 1 2012 - May 2013. According to the original charges she used funds for purchasing food, tobacco, alcohol and a plasma television. The sentence for a class 3 felony carries possible 2-5 years prison and up to a $25,000 fine.

Ms. Jackson was sentenced to 30 months felony probation, 100 days jail (remainder stayed), and $6,000 restitution, as well as $1,000 fine plus court costs to be paid back within 12 months starting in September. The first count of theft, a count 2 felony for stealing between $500-$10,000 from a 'governmental entity', was dismissed. She is credited 96 days jail pending compliance of probation conditions.

The amount of restitution originally sought was $10,000. According to exhibits provided by the State the following is a breakdown of misused booster club funds: Ms. Jackson used an Athletic Booster card from Aug. 14, 2012 - Feb. 27, 2013 at Sam's Club in Davenport spending $4,744; In the same time period another total of $1,796.43 was spent using an Athletic Booster card at the same store; questionable purchases made by Ms. Jackson at Aledo Walmart on July 11, 2012 totaling $1,372.66 followed by more questionable expenditures at the same place totaling $1,024.11. A list of places with more expenditures includes Moline Walmart, Davenport Walmart, Staples in Davenport (of apparent personal school supplies); her 'admitted' personal purchases from Sam's Club with Athletic Booster cards of $1,796.43 plus $821.85 at Aledo Walmart. Also, suspicious activity from 2012-13 of the defendant depositing cash into her personal account after school concession events totaling $6,097.22 followed by 2013-14 of the defendant depositing cash after school concession events into the school account of $5,328.76. As opposed to the successive administrator who deposited funds from comparable sales AFTER Ms. Jackson was involved, from Aug. 30, 2013 - March 20, 2014 in the amount of $16,418.55.

Nat Zunkel, athletic director and Angie Dellitt the booster club's concessions manager were present during the sentencing hearing. Judge Kutsunis asked them if they agreed to the amount of $6,000 to be paid back to booster club, both responded, "Yes."

After the proceedings Ms. Jackson politely refused to comment. Zunkel and Dellitt also refused to comment on the sensitive issue.

Alan Boucher said, "though I'm unaware of the particulars of how the case was settled, I'm pleased to hear that it has been resolved, we have a school year coming up and we want to focus on the future and making the school district better this year."